Six governors of the Peoples Democratic Party have visited ex-President Goodluck Jonathan at his Abuja residence to solicit his support for the Bayelsa State PDP governorship candidate, Mr Douye Diri.
Our correspondent gathered that the governors, who had a meeting with Jonathan behind closed doors on Sunday were Dr Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), David Umahi (Ebonyi), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), while the Director-General of the PDP Governors Forum, Mr Osaro Onaiwu, represented the forum.
One of the governors, who attended the closed-door meeting and spoke to The Punch in confidence, said the governors pleaded with Jonathan to support Diri.
He said, “We appeal to the ex-President to let go of ill-feelings and grievances he may have over the emergence of Diri during the November 3 primary, as it was perceived that the Bayelsa State Governor, Seraike Dickson, blocked Jonathan’s nominee from emerging the PDP governorship standard-bearer in the state.”
Recall that a few days ago, social media was awash with insinuations that Jonathan had entered into an alliance with the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to ensure victory for the APC governorship candidate, Mr David Lyon.
However, the source told our correspondent that the PDP governors impressed it upon Jonathan that his name and influence would be battered, if Lyon won the governorship election.
According to the governor, the ex-President accepted to work for Diri’s victory and made it clear that it was inconceivable that he would work for the APC.
He said, “The ex-President said, as an elder and party leader, he had no personal grievances against Diri or Dickson and that the insinuation that he had problems with Dickson was the handiwork of some politicians, who wanted to cash in on his humility and political lifestyle.”
Meanwhile, the PDP has said the camp of the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is depleting daily.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement issued on Sunday, said the large crowd that witnessed the inauguration of its governorship campaign in Lokoja was a resounding declaration by the people of the state that nothing would stop them from kicking out Bello from the Lord Lugard Government House during the November 16 governorship election in the state.
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